I am often asked how one becomes a witch. Do you find someone who is a
witch and they make you one? Or are you a witch just by saying you are?
Can you make yourself a witch?

The process of becoming a witch doesn't happen overnight. It is a life
change, a new path upon the journey of your life. It takes consideration,
study and work. If you have previously followed a mainstream religion,
you may have things that take time to let go, and new things that take
time to absorb. I have heard many people say it is often hard, coming
from a life of Christianity, to feel comfortable praying to the Goddess.
All new things take time, but if you are serious upon this path, you will
find your way. The Gods call their own home to them.

No matter how you have came about finding the Old Religion, here you are.
So where do you go? To the book store. For a novice, books are like the
air you breathe. You must have them, or access to them in some way. If
you cannot afford, or do not feel safe having books on the Craft, the
internet is the next best place.

In both books and on the internet you will find a wealth of knowledge
that will help guide you upon your new path. Of course, as with anything
else, there is good information and bad information. Avoid any kind of
book, or internet site, that speaks of controlling another person in any
way, harming them, doing love spells on a specific person, or tells you
to chant in latin, even though you have no idea what you are saying (yes,
I have seen sites like that). These books/sites will not fulfill your
need for knowledge in the Craft and will only serve to confuse you.

Once you have read a variety of books and feel called to this path, the
next step is to find a teacher. If you have access to a teacher, in my
opinion this is the best course of action. A teacher or a coven can often
be found if there is a new age book store in your community. Also, the
Witches Voice is a site that offers networking in every state. It has
grown extremely large over the past few years and is a valuable resource
in the Craft community. All of my coven members have found me on the Witches
Voice.

Having a mentor can offer so much to you when you are beginning. There
will be things you come across that you have a hard time understanding
and need clarification. If you have a teacher, they are just a phone call
or email away. If you do not, you must try to decipher things on your
own, and may not come to the correct end on them. If you do not have a
teacher, again, the internet is the next best place to look.

If you are only looking for a 'how to' on casting spells, then the Craft
is not for you. Witchcraft is a serious spiritual path, in which magick
is performed, but is secondary to the religion itself. I would suggest
you look to ceremonial magick for that.

A couple of things need to be said about beginning this path, in light
of recent attitudes about the Craft. Here lately it seems that you have
a people who, after reading a few books, feel as if they can call themselves
a master of the Art. They throw on a title like Lady/Lord, or HP/s, add
some black clothes, a pentacle the size of a hubcap, and they are ready
to go. This is not what the Craft is about. If you have spent years following
a particular path, have worked hard for the spiritual lessons that have
been presented to you, and through this have attained the title and rank,
then by all means use it. But think of how you would feel if, after all
that, you have a newbie with 6 months and 5 books under their belt walking
about calling themselves Lady Starry Ski or Lord Thunderbutt. It is very
offensive. Just like your parents told you when you were growing up (or
maybe you still are) 'don't rush things, it will all come to you in the
end, and be sweeter for the waiting'. This is true with the Craft. Using
titles, putting on airs, and in general acting high and mighty are not
going to make you any more spiritual. And that is what this path is about.
What it will do is alienate you from people whom you may actually want
to meet and get to know!

All of this being said the way to become a witch is through study and
dedication. Gather all of the information you can. Find the best teacher
possible. Read whatever you can get your hands on. Go outside in nature
and commune with the Goddess and God. Listen to the trees and the wind
and the rush of the water, for this is the witch's world.